Vapor-burning lamp.



No. 677,393. -Pate,nted...luly 2, I90l.

B.-0. APPLEG-ATE. vAPqR BURNING LAMP A licaiion filed Jan. :30, 1899.)

2 SheetsSheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 677,393. I Patented July 2,1901.

B. 0. APPLEGATE.

VAPOR BURNING LAKE.

(Application filed In 30, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 ShaetS-Sheei 2.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT 0. APPLEGATE, on KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

VAPOR-BURNING LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,393, dated July 2,1901. Application filed January 30, 1899. Serial N o- 703,874. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it 77mg concern..- 7

Be it known that I, ROBERT O. APPLEGATE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson, in the State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVapor-Burning Lamps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of this specification.

'My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements invapor-burning lamps, having more particular reference to that class oflamps in which gasolene or other hydrocarbon oil is vaporized by theheat from the burner and the vapor mixed with a requisite quantity ofair and is by a suitable burner used for lighting purposes. In certainof this class of vapor-lamps now in use a very serious objection isfound in the pestiferous odor arising from the escaping unconsumed gasespervading the room or apartment due toimperfectcombustion, and a furtherserious objection is found that in cold weather and exposed places thevapor in passing from the generating or vaporizing tube through-themixingpipe is greatly liable to condensation, causing fitful andimperfect action of the lamp. With a view to obviate and remove theseobjections and to accomplish other desirable results hereinafterspecified my invention consists in certain features of noveltyhereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a view of a hanging lamp or chandelier with thedevice for suspending it from the ceiling embodying my' improvements.Fig. 2 represents a cross-section of the smoke-bell and itssupporting-tube. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section of the T-coupling, towhich are connected the smoke-bell tube, the vaporizing-tube, and themixingtube, and showing the communication of the smoke-bell tube andvapor-tube with the mixing-tube. Fig. 4 represents a detail elevation ofthe chimney-cap. Fig. 5 represents a plan view of the same. Fig. 6represents a detail elevation of my improved ceiling-hanger for raisingand lowering the lamp, the casing being partly removed. Fig. 7represents aview, partly in cross-section, showing my arrange ment ofscreens for removing the dirt, sedi= ment, and extraneous matter fromthe oil in passing from the tank through the supply pipes to thevaporizing-tube. Fig. 8 represents a cross-section of the generating orvaporizing tube. Fig. 9 represents a cross-section of my device forheating the vaporizingtube preparatory to lighting the lamp. Fig. 10represents a detail view of the pawl and ratchet used in my improvedceiling-hanger, taken on the line X X of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents the vessel or tank containing the gasolene or otherhydrocarbon oil to be used. As shown in Fig. 7, this vessel is providedtoward its bottom with a wire-gauze screen 2. The filling-tube 3extending below this screen and the opening 4 in the supplytube 5 beingabove this screen the oil is strained in passing through the screen anda large per cent. of the impurities and sedimentary matter removed. Theopening 4. in the supply-tube 5 may also be provided with a screen, ifdesired. The supply-tube 5 supports the fixture or chandelier. It ismanifest that the chandelier may carry as many branches and lamps as maybe desired by providing the necessary unions at 6 and 7 for connectingthe generating or vaporizing tubes 8 and the lamp-supporting arms 9. Incarrying the oil from the tank to the vaporizing-tubes 1 preferably usethe arrangement shown in Fig. 7, in which below the union 6 is provideda tube 10 of larger bore than the supplytube 5, forming a settling tubeor chamber, and is provided with a gauze screen 11 over its upper end.The supply-tube 5 extends within said settling-tube a short distancebelow the screen, so that the oil before reaching the vaporizing-tubesis further freed from impurities and extraneous matter, it beingunderstood that the laterals of the T or union 7, to which thesettling-tube is con nected, are closed. This arrangement of thefilling-tube and the supply-tube in the tank and the supply-tube and thesettling-tube in the fixture with the interposed gauze screens is verydesirable and even necessary in the use of some of the lower andinferior grades of gasolene, in which quite large amounts of impuritiesand sedimentary and extraneous matter are held in suspension, as well asvery considerable amounts of water, interfering vided at the junction ofthe vaporizing-tube and the tip to prevent its further passage.

8 represents the vaporizing-tube, connected with the union 6 and fedfrom the settlingtube 10. Said tube is provided with a stop orregulating cook or valve 14 and is arranged over the chimney of the lampto be heated by the heat from the burner. Within said tube is placed arod 15, fitting closely "within the same and extending from the valve atapproximately to the end of the tube and having a spiral groove 16 cutin its periphery, providing a circuitous passage for the gasolenethrough the tube. By such oirc'uitous passage the oil and vaporaresubjeet longer to the heat from the burner than in passing through astraight passage, and the vapor is more highly rarefied and leaves thevaporizin-g-tube at a higher temperature, thus putting it in bettercondition for mixture 'With the air. It also overcomes the eirect of theback pressure due to the expansion of the vapor and prevents the puffingand fitfiildis charge of the va or common 'With other-lamps, whichinterferes seriously with the lighting and is destructive of the mantle.

17 represents the tip,haying a minute opem ing 1S for the'dischargeo'fthe vapor. within the tip, as before stated, is provided a gauze screen12-, the particular'ottice of which is to prevent the passage of grit orother ex-- traneous matter, which would otherwise clog the minuteopening in the tip. The tip discharges under pressure into thebell=shaped mouthfof the tube 19, creating therein suction sufficient todraw in the requisite amount of air.

20 represents the mixing-tube, comment eating withthe tube 19 throughthe T 21 and in which the vapor and air become thoroughly mixed inpassage. 22 represents the burner, with which said mixing-tube co'rninulnicat'e's through the T 23. Said burner may be of any usual form andconstruction-and is provided with a "chimney-holder 24-, aoh iin= ney25, and an incandescent mantle 26.

27 represents a chimney-cap placed overthe top of the chimney and aroundthe rape rizinJg-tube to prevent gusts or drafts of airv over thechimney carrying anddefle' cting the heat from the tube. Said cap, asshown in Figs. 4 and '5, is formed of two semicircular plates 28,pivoted together near one edge at 29 2 and provided with a circulare'x'cisio'n '30 to fit,-

the tube, so that, as shown in Fig. 4 in dotted lin es, they maybe'opened on th-ehinges formed by the pivot 29 and then closed over thetube and will thus be simply hung on the tube over the chimney.

31 represents a heater for heating the vaporizing-tnbe preparatory tolighting the lamp. It is formed with a sleeve 32, arranged to slide onthe vaporizingtube, and a semicircular dish 33, connected with andextending in advance of the sleeve under said tube. As shown in Fig. 9,in said dish is arranged a layer of asbestos fiber 34 or like material,covered with a sheet of wire-gauze 35,held in place by the inturned edge36 of the dish.

When it is desired to light the lamp, the cap 27 is removed and theheater moved forward on thetube over the chimney. A small quantity ofalcohol or gasolene or other volatile inflammable material is pouredintQ the dish upon the fiber and lighted. The heat therefrom 'Will heatthe vaporizing tube to :s'ueh degree that as the oil is turned on itWill be vaporized therein. The lamp is then lighted and the heaterpushed back otter the Way of the further heating or the tube iroiii theburner, and, if desired, the cap re laces,

it being understood that the cap is only necessary when the lamp isexposed to drafts or sudden gusts of air.

37 represents thesmoke-bell, carried on the tube '38, through Which itcommunicates with the burner. ably connee't the smoke bell tube with themixing time for the reason to be stated; Said smoke-bell tubecommunicating "with the burner a draft is generated therethr'ough, andby such draft the noxious and disagreeable vapors and odors of theburning gasolene, arising largely from im erfect eombiia tion or thegaseIene-va'per the bwnemaie caught the smeke ben and carried rack tothe burn-er and disposed of. bysdoh draft a large additional amount ofair is ear ried to the burner, inducing-a "more perfeet combustion andproducing more brilliant flame with the consumption of a smaller amountof material. As noted above, with this class Of lampsthe-cein'municationof the smoke-"bell tube with the burner is preferablythrough the mixiag tu-be, for the reason that thereby the air from thesmoke-bell tube becomes mixed with the vapor from the vaporiz'i'iig-tube before reaching the burner and In this aim of lamps Iprefer-- also that by the heated gases and air caught by "the"smoke-bell and passing over the iii-iii ing-tribe will be kept heated,whereby in the coldest weather and climates the vapor pass ing throughthe mixing-theater will tierevented from condensing, an occurrence ie--setting a serious d-ififieiilty. N p

The T or union 2 1, as shown in Fig. 3, is

forined ivi'th cui'ved passages 21' to givedrrection to The influx oithe vapor, air, and

gases from the tubes 1 9 and 58 to the ii'i il iing= hub 6.

Taking down the lamp ten-11 and light it when hue-g from tlre'ceilingbrother elevated position has been found inconvenient andobj'e'eti'on-able. To remove and obviate this objection, I provide {atailing-hanger 39.

(Shoivn in detail in Fig. 6, in which 40 represents a casing arranged tobe suspended from the ceiling by a hook 41.) Within said casing isjournaled a shaft 42, upon which is mounted a spool 43, and to saidspool is se cured one end of a flat chain or cable 44, having a hook 45at its lower end, upon which is hung the lamp.

46 represents a flat coil-spring, having one end secured to the shaft 42and its other end secured to the casing in such relation that thetension of the spring will cause the chain to be wound upon the spool.

47 represents a ratchet-wheel mounted on the shaft 42, and 48 representsa pawl mounted upon a bracket 49, secured upon the easing and arrangedto engage said ratchetwheel. The arm 50 of said pawl extending beyondthe casing is provided with a ring 51, embracing the chain 44. Now asthe lamp hangs in normal position the pawl will engage the ratchet andthe lamp be suspended in any desired position by the chain; but if it isdesired to draw down the lamp to light or fill the same, carrying thelamp slightly aside from its vertical relation under the hanger, thechain, acting upon the pawl-arm 48, will release the pawl from theratchet and the lamp may be drawn down, and when lighted or filledsimply pushing up on the lamp sufficiently to relieve the weight of thesame on the chain by the tension of the spring 46 the chain is rewoundon the spool and the lamp restored to position.

52 represents a stop-cock in the supplytank, and 53 a stop-cockcommunicating with the settling-tube.

Among the principal advantages arising from the use of my improvementsmay be noted: By arranging the smoke-bell to communicate with the burnerthe disagreeable vapors and odors are caught up and carried back, andalso by the induced draft through the smoke-bell a large additionalamount of air is furnished to the burner, producing a more'perfectcombustion and a more brilliant light with less combustion of fu el; andalso by arranging the communication of the smoke-bell with'the burnerthrough the mixing-tube, by the heat passing over the mixing-tube iskept warm, and even in the coldest weather the vapor passing through thesame is prevented from condensing, as observed as an objectionablefeature in other lamps of this class.

Having now fully described my improvements, what 1 claim as myinvention, and destre to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vapor-burning lamp, the combina-- tion with a suitable burner, avaporizing-tube arranged to be heated from the burner, a supply-tubecommunicating therewith, and a mixing-tube arranged between thevaporizing-tube and the burner, of a smoke-bell arranged over theburner, and a tube supporting and communicating with the smoke-bell andcommunicating with the burner through the mixing-tube whereby the heatedair and unconsumed vapor from the burner are collected and carried overto the mixing-tube substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a vapor-burning lamp the combination with a suitable burnerprovided with a chimney and an envelop of incandescing material, avaporizing-tube arranged to be heated from the burner, a supply-pipecommunicating with said vaporizing-tube, and a mixing-tube arrangedbetween the said vaporizing-tube and the burner, of a smoke-bellarranged over the chimney and a tube commu nicating with saidsmoke-bell, and with the mixing-tube whereby the heated air andunconsumed vapor from the burner are collected and carried over to themixing-tube 5 substantially as set forth.

3. In a vapor-burning lamp, the combina tion with a suitable burner, avaporizingtube arranged to be heated from the burner, and provided witha tip having a minute dis charge-opening, a supply-tube communicatingwith said vaporizing-tube, an air-tube having a bell-mouthed openinginto which said tip discharges, and a mixing-tube communicating with theburner, of a smoke-bell arranged over the chimney, a tube connected andcommunicating with said smoke-bell, whereby the heated air andunconsumed vapor from the burner are collected and carried over to themixing-tube, and a union or coupling through which said air-tube andsmokebell tube communicate with said mixing-tube, having curved passagesfor the direction of the flow of the vapor, air and gases from saidtubes to the mixing-tube, substantially as set forth.

4. In a vapor-burning lamp, the combination with the air-tube, thesmoke-bell tube and the mixing-tube of a union or coupling through whichsaid air-tube and smoke-bell tube communicate with the 1niXing-tube,haV=ing curved passages for the direction of the flow of the vapor, air andgases from said tubes to the mixing-tube, substantially as set forth.

ROBERT O. APPLEGATE.

Witnesses:

J. W. HANKS, O. S. TULEY.

